Same Reality, Different Fantasy
by rikkuchin86
Summary: To awaken in a different world from her own, was indeed, troublesome. With the help of the former AVALANCHE team, a mission such as that one shouldn't deem impossible. But how does one go about such a mission when you can't remember who you are? Rated M for sexual content in future chapters.


This story is inspired from from my previous one on a different account (rikkuchin, Unlimited Fantasy), but has changed, obviously. Practicing my English has never been more fun! Oh, and the characters belong to Square Enix.

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"Do you think she can hear us? I mean, she looks pretty dead to me. I wouldn't get my hopes up. What is it that she's wearing? I mean, you can barely see-"  
"How am I supposed to know? I didn't find her like this. Spikey was the one who found her like this on one of his deliveries. Guess he must be bored outta his mind, sniffing his way to wounded little girls' in the woods."  
"You think she's a girl? No, she must be some type of a... girl-woman! You don't see curves on a petite body like THAT if she's- Or, I don't know-"  
"Enough." Silence quickly came upon them as heavy boots approached the room to accompany the gossiping red-headed man and dark-haired thief. The young girl quickly disappeared out of the room, leaving Reno alone with Cloud as they stood before the wounded stranger that lay peacefully in the bed.

"Why you always gotta be a hero, Cloud?" Reno sighs as his arms crossed his chest, eyes wandering across the petite girls body. He couldn't decide whether it was her bandage or her wound that seemed to burden her breathing. He wasn't as fazed by this incident as Cloud was, but then again, his life had more purpose than simply working a nine-to-five job.

"Why do you always have to be a dick?" the blond one responded, shaking his head ever so slightly as he landed on the chair beside the bed. Mako infused eyes traveled across her body, making sure that her wounds hadn't opened during her sleep. Her braided hair remained sprawled across her pillow, just as it had three days ago. There were no signs of consciousness to be found. "I couldn't just leave her in the woods. Isn't it obvious? She doesn't belong here."

"That's harsh, man. Even for you." Cloud didn't feel the need to explain to the former Turk what his intentions behind his words were. Something about this wasn't right. She wasn't from here - he could tell. The ex-SOLDIER had spent half of his life traveling. He knew every corner of every town. The woods were since long unable to mislead him and the oceans were far too great for any human to attempt to live at sea. If she belonged, he would have known. He needed answers. Who was she? Where did she come from? How did she end up here?

"If somebody doesn't get me water soon, I'll _die_. I don't want to die. Give me some H2O, please." all of his muscles tensed at the sound of the stranger's voice, casting a look at Reno as if confirming that her mouth had indeed formed words. A careless shrug was all he received for a reply, the stranger begging for some water once again.

"What are you waiting for? Go and get her some water," Cloud orders as he was now left alone with the woman he'd found in the woods. He didn't know what was more surprising; the fact that she was alive or that she didn't seem affected by her current state. His attention turns to her as he prepares to straighten out his confusion, but just as his lips part, he catches sight of her eyes. It would be an understatement to say that he was dazzled; his attention now completely having lost sight of his focus. The swirl in her eyes was what seemed to have caught him off guard, since mako infusion was the only irregularity he could identify as strange in people's eyes. She was definitely not from here.

"I'm gonna go out on a limb here and assume that you're not a psycho rapist with rabies who encourages trafficking, because, let's face it, I wouldn't be able to protect myself. So." her voice doesn't live up to the cockiness of her words; weakness finally revealed as her breathing deepens throughout her speech. Before any reassurance could be made, Tifa entered the room with enough water to quench the thirst of a dozen drunken men.

Once the woman had emptied four water bottles and two dinners, Tifa was sitting down at the edge of her bed along with Cloud on the chair right next to it. They were both anticipating something; just as eager to find out her story. Big, green and glowing eyes finally looks up to met theirs, unsure of what to say.

"I can't... I can't remember who I am." the young woman looks down on her hands, as if that would help her to remember. It was as if she knew exactly who she was the moment she had awakened; but once her energy levels went up, all of it was gone. Completely gone. "I mean, I did - at first - but then, after all your delicious food, I completely lost it! I can't even remember what I can't remember, you know? I mean, I don't know if you're my friends or enemies. You might as well have poisoned my food. I might as well be DYING right now. I just don't know! Oh, but I DO know one thing." the girl jerks to the side of her body quickly, only to have her wounds reminding her of her humanity. As the pain lingered, she carefully discarded a bag from the belt she was wearing.

"It says Rikku. That must mean I'm Rikku, right? Unless I'm a thief and stole it from someone." she mutters, brushing her thumb across the carved letters on the leather bag.

"Hey," Tifa lays a hand on top of Rikku's leg as an attempt to calm her down, "it's alright. It will come back to you. Just focus on getting well for now, okay?" her lips curves into a smile, catching Rikku's attention for half a second before she notices that the blond-haired man walked out of the room. "Don't worry about Cloud, he gets like that... sometimes." there was a sense of sorrow heard in Tifa's voice, almost as if she was talking to herself. Rikku quickly registered that in the back of her head, waiting for another incident between them so she could put two and two together. "You just rest for now."

 _I am going to literally jump out of this window right now if I can't leave this room. Wait, have I even tried?_ Rikku wiggles her toes underneath the cover as an attempt to prepare them, successfully leaving the room after a few failed attempts. "Okay, it wasn't that bad. Stairs? Are you kidding me? Stairs are my next obstacle?!" just as she is about to walk down the stairs, voices interrupt her and freezes her in her spot.

"You haven't spoken to me for a week. Before you say anything, chit-chatting isn't communication. I need to know how you are doing, Cloud. I thought..."  
"What?"  
"I thought that we'd worked past this." Oh, they were definitely an item. Or wanted to be. Or had been.  
"Are you not going to say anything? Are we going to go through this again?"  
"No, Tifa. You have nothing to worry about."  
"Is that all you have to say? I... it's late. We'll talk tomorrow." Rikku's eyes widen at the sight of Tifa's back; causing the young one to step further back into the darkness. How the beez did she get up the stairs so quickly?! Fortunately for her, Tifa hadn't noticed her presence and had already entered her room. A breath of relief was made far too early as Cloud's arm swung to rest against the wall beside her face.  
"Eavesdropping, are we?"  
"No! Not at all! I was just-"  
"What?"  
"Eavesdropping." his intense stare was enough to crowd Rikku against the wall, unsure of how to escape this situation. Truth was, he was the one she wanted to talk to. Fractions of the night he had saved her appeared before her, curiosity urging her to reach out to him. His moist breath brushing across her lips hindered her from thinking any further, big eyes blinking before his narrow ones.

"You need to learn some manners, little one." a dramatic eye roll was made together with an attempt to cross her arms, only to realize the absence of space between the two was an obstacle. The silence lasts for an unusual amount of time before she unwillingly decides to break it.

"I actually wanted to talk to you about the night you rescued me," Cloud's body language immediately changes as his body weight shifts away from her, curious but stern eyes finding their way to meet hers.  
"You're starting to remember?"  
"Well, not... quite. It's complicated. That's why I wanted to talk to you." her legs were starting to give in, reminding her that she was still healing. Not a second had the time to pass before Cloud was leading her down the stairs to sit at a table.

"I only started to remember fractions of it because you were talking... to Tifa... about... nothing. Anyho', I can't really explain it, but your voice... it made me remember things. Like, just now, I remember you calling someone a dick a few days ago. Maybe it's just events with you in it, but, at least it's a start." Rikku stops herself from asking for more, adjusting her bodyweight to lean over the table as she inhales deeply. "Could you just... talk to me? About anything, really." she raises a questioning eyebrow, revealing her teeth in a questioning smile.

"No, my eyes don't give me some sort of superpowers. We've walked through this a hundred times, now."  
"But I told you that I get it! You happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time, ended up a guinea pig, then - BAM! - someone infuses you with this substance called mako and your eyes get all glowy and cute. And you obviously achieve supernatural powers. Isn't that why your eyes are glowing in the first place?" his eyes were since long closed, praying to the non-existing lords above for patience. There was no chance he would ever admit to himself he enjoyed her company, or their meaningless conversation for that matter. The only reason he agreed to this in the first place was out of sheer curiosity, which means his interest was the one at heart.

Not hers. It wasn't to help soothe her anxiety.

Definitely not.

"What about your eyes?" his voice lowers with his question that had followed, placing both of his elbows against the wooden surface beneath him. The spike-haired man leans in to shorten the distance between them, his lids relaxing ever so slightly over his eyes as they catch her glance.

What is he doing? Why am I thinking about what he's doing? Stop. What are you feeling? Nothing. Warmth that was radiated from his presence had reached the surface of her skin, forming goosebumps around her healing wounds. His breath was barely washing over her face, an implication that reminded her of their closeness at the very moment. It made her incredibly aware of the situation, hence her absolute stillness.

"It's because I'm an Al-Bhed." she finally breathes.

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I hope you guys enjoyed this! Reviews are very much welcome. Next chapter is coming soon :)


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